Sideburn ruler

ABSTRACT

A ruler, having a concavity on a first portion designed to fit over the external ear to maintain the ruler in place, a second portion which, during use, rests directly anterior to the ear and preferably bears indicia to facilitate accurate trimming of sideburns.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional ApplicationUS60/799,036, filed May 10, 2006, entitled “SIDEBURN RULER” which isincorporated by reference into this application as if fully set forthherein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to human grooming aids in the field ofcosmetology and hairstyling, and specifically, to a grooming instrumentuseful for measuring sideburn length.

BACKGROUND

In the context of providing grooming services, it is generally desirablefor sideburns to have a neat appearance and advantageous to trimsideburns evenly, the length of each sideburn being the same. Variousmethods have been proposed to provide equally trimmed sideburns,including trimming the sideburn to specified facial features,back-and-forth comparison trimming, trimming one sideburn fully followedby the second, and using one or more mirrors to assist in evenlytrimming sideburns. All of these methods have their advantages anddrawbacks. While a skilled stylist, cosmetologist, or barber can deliverwell-trimmed sideburns using facial features or incremental comparativetrimming, it may require a substantial expenditure of time to deliverthis result.

Accordingly, several devices have been developed to assist thecosmetologist in measuring and evenly trimming a client's sideburns.Some devices accomplish this objective through the use of an appliancethat may fit over the head, or through a support apparatus that can beplaced on the head. Other devices utilize bubble-levels, andlaser-lighting to measure, trim, or balance sideburns. Still othersprovide an apparatus that fits onto eyeglasses.

As examples, U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,515 issued to Miller, discloses, inpart, a side burn trimming appliance that fits over the head andincludes a plurality of removably, adjustable templates having varyingshapes, positionable over the length of the sideburn, to assist inproviding sideburns of equal size and shape. U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,463issues to Panz discloses, in part, a device for measuring hair length byutilizing a support device which may be placed on an individual's head,the device having a flexible measuring element disposed in the area ofthe top (or crown) of the head. Both devices are problematic in thatthey are relatively large, cumbersome, and are typically placed on theuser's head. U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,694 issued to Benjamin discloses, inpart, a grooming aid plate having a guide edge, which is ideallyremovably attached to an eyeglasses frame. FIG. 8 of Benjamin discloses,in part, an alternative embodiment, for those not wearing glasses,including a support member with a strap and pair of side members withdownwardly turned ends fitting over the ear, and a strap extending overthe top of the subject's head.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,234 issued to Seerahn discloses, in part, a hairstyling template utilizing a frame, shaped somewhat like a spectacleframe, wherein templates may be coupled onto the frame by a clampingunit. Seerhan requires the use of a multi-piece spectacle-like apparatuswhich may be difficult to appropriately clean, and could be consideredembarrassing to wear in a public setting such as a hairstyling salon orbarber shop.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,450 issued to Ayoub discloses, in part, a measuringdevice for sideburns utilizing a two-piece, substantially T-shapedapparatus one element being an insertable and removablefriction-retained ruler-like measuring slide. Ayoub, utilizes amulti-piece apparatus having aligned slots through which a medianportion of the adapter fits. Further, Ayoub's upper and lower lengthwiseor marginal edges are bent upon themselves to define straight elongatedbends and turned in flanges. Ayoub further provides graduated, spaced,parallel measuring lines that facilitate step adjusting of the T-shapedslide. The T-slide is made up of a length of metal which is also bentupon itself with the ends defining a pair of legs with an inherenttendency to spread apart. Lastly, in use, Ayoub discloses a lowerstraight edge that resides or rests atop the ear whereupon the adaptercan be held in a substantially horizontal plane. At the same time, it ispossible to rock the adapter up or down to obtain the desired level orto cause the extreme lower edge of the slide to slope or slant.

Ayoub's device, including the two-part construction, elongated bends,and turned-in flanges is relatively costly to manufacture. Further, theAyoub apparatus contains numerous potential spaces that make sanitaryuse difficult. Ayoub features two-part construction, with a slot andelongated bends, and a T-shaped slide with legs that have an inherenttendency to spread apart. These bends, flanges, legs, and other spacesserve as recesses that can trap shaving cream, hair particles,superficial skin, bacteria, and other debris. Adequately cleaning andsterilizing Ayoub's apparatus may be time consuming and difficult, andit may be impossible to appropriately clean to meet current demandinghygienic standards.

Furthermore, in actual use, Ayoub's apparatus must be held in asubstantially horizontal plane to ensure the sideburn measurement willbe accurate. This prevents the cosmetologist, barber, or stylist fromhaving both hands free, and makes viewing the hairline from a relativedistance difficult. The “rocking” action upon the ear, advantageouslydescribed by Ayoub, to allow a sideburn to be trimmed at an angle, maybe problematic where the horizontal strait edge unintentionally rocksupon the ear and moves the terminal edge of the slide. Thecosmetologist, stylist, or barber would then need to manually repositionthe device to approximate the position before the undesired movement.

Accordingly, what is needed is a simplified device that is more reliablypositionable on the external ear to facillitate more accuratemeasurement of sideburns, which is cost effective to manufacture, andwhich is easy to clean or sterilize.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present invention include a sideburn ruler, with aconcavity on a first portion designed to fit over the external ear tosecure the ruler in place. In a preferred embodiment, the ruler hasindicia, preferably measuring indicia disposed on the second portionwhich, during use, rests directly anterior to the ear. In a preferredembodiment, the ruler is constructed from plastic, including acrylicplastic, and may have indicia etched, painted, or otherwise deposited onthe second portion. A method for trimming sideburns using the ruler isalso disclosed.

It is intended that any other advantages and objects of the presentinvention that become apparent or obvious from the detailed descriptionor illustrations contained herein are within the scope of the presentinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention positioned relative to an ear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT ANDALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Referring now descriptively to the drawings, the attached figuresillustrate example embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1 depictsan example embodiment ruler 10 illustrated as a substantially invertedL-shape with a first portion 15, and second portion 20. First portion15, is shaped to define a concave indentation 25, which in a preferredembodiment is located in the centermost aspect of first portion 15. Inan embodiment, second portion 20 is marked with indicia 30, preferablymeasurement indicia. Ruler 10 may be comprised of any rigid material,and in a preferred embodiment ruler 10 is comprised of plastic withindicia 30 being etched into the plastic of second portion 20.

In one embodiment, first portion 15 and second portion 20 are integrallyformed and form a right angle with respect to each other. When viewingthe inverted L embodiment, as depicted by FIG. 1, first portion 15 isillustrated as the horizontal topmost portion, whereas second portion 20is illustrated as the vertical portion preferably bearing indicia 30.When ruler 10 is integrally formed of first portion 15 and secondportion 20, corner 35 is common to and forms a part of both.

FIG. 2 depicts the ruler in place over a human ear. First portion 15 ishorizontally disposed with concave indentation 25 resting atop a medialaspect of the external ear 40. Second portion 20 is vertically disposedjust anterior to external ear 40, and in a preferred embodiment, bearingindicia that 30 facilitate accurate hair measurement.

Regarding ruler dimensions, the present invention may be practiced witha variety of ruler sizes. In one non-limiting example configurationfound to be useful, the first portion 15 (which includes horizontaldimension of common corner 35) measures 2 inches, and second portion 20(which includes vertical dimension of common corner 35) measures 3.5inches. Regarding the thickness of ruler 10, the present invention maybe practiced with any apparatus thickness allowing ruler placement atopthe external ear, however, a particularly advantageous range has beenfound to be 1/16^(th)- 3/16^(th) of an inch. A useful interval forgraduated markings is ¼ inches apart, preferably sequentially enumerated1-10.

The present invention discloses a method of trimming sideburn hair.First, the user provides a ruler having a concave indentation 25 on afirst portion 15 and a perpendicularly disposed second portion 20,preferably bearing indicia 30. Second, the ruler is placed onto the topof an external portion of a subject's ear, the concave indentation 25resting on top of the most medial portion of the ear. The second portion20 rests immediately anterior to the ear. Third, the user then selects adesired hair length using a landmark location on the second portion 20as a point of reference. Fourth, the user then trims the hair to thelandmark location using any effective method of trimming sideburns. Theuser then repeats the process on the subject's opposite ear followingthe second, third, and fourth steps.

It should be noted that the term ruler, as used herein, should not beinterpreted to require graduated measurement indicia according to aspecific metric or English system scale, or for that matter requireindicia at all. Indicia 30 may be comprised of any marking that would beuseful as a landmark for a proposed hairline; this of course may includemetric and English graduated measurement indicia. Further, in onespecific embodiment, there are no landmark markings on the ruler; theend of the ruler itself provides the landmark for trimming. Regardingshape, it should also be noted that a particular L shaped embodiment hasbeen disclosed, however, in an alternative embodiment, it would bepossible to utilize the horizontal first portion 15 and the verticalsecond portion 20 in a shape other than L shape. The invention may bepracticed with any orientation having a horizontal member bearing aconcavity to rest atop the ear and a vertical member extendingdownwardly to facilitate measurement and trimming of sideburns.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiments, it should be understood that variousmodifications and variations can be easily made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, theforegoing disclosure should be interpreted as illustrative only and isnot to be interpreted in a limiting sense. It is further intended thatany other embodiments of the present invention that result from anychanges in application or method of use or operation, method ofmanufacture, shape, size, or material which are not specified within thedetailed written description or illustrations contained herein yet areconsidered apparent or obvious to one skilled in the art are within thescope of the present invention.

1. A sideburn measuring instrument comprising: a substantially invertedL shaped member having a concave indentation on a first portion of saidL shaped member, and a second portion of said L shaped member extendingperpendicularly from said first member; wherein said concave indentationmay be rested on an ear with the second portion disposed anterior to theear.
 2. The measuring instrument of claim 1, wherein said concaveindentation is in the center of the first portion.
 3. The measuringinstrument of claim 1, wherein said second portion bares measuringindicia.
 4. The measuring instrument of claim 3, wherein said measuringindicia are etched into said second portion.
 5. The measuring instrumentof claim 3, wherein said measuring indicia are deposited on the surfaceof said second portion.
 6. The measuring instrument of claim 1, whereinthe first portion measures about 2 inches, and wherein the secondportion measures about 3.5 inches; wherein the L shaped member measuresabout 1/16^(th) inch- 3/16^(th) inch in thickness.
 7. The measuringinstrument of claim 1, wherein said L shaped member is integrally formedof acrylic plastic.
 8. The measuring instrument of claim 3, wherein saidmeasuring indicia are graduated markings sequentially numbered 1-10,said markings spaced ¼ inch apart.
 9. A sideburn ruler for symmetricallytrimming sideburns comprising: a substantially inverted L shaped memberhaving a concave indentation on the horizontal portion of said L shapedmember and indicia etched into the vertical portion of said L shapedmember; wherein said L shaped member is integrally formed of acrylicplastic; wherein said concave indentation may be rested on the ear of asubject with the vertical portion disposed immediately anterior to theear.
 10. A method of trimming hair comprising: (a) providing asubstantially inverted L shaped member having a concave indentation on afirst portion of said L shaped member and measuring indicia on a secondportion of said L shaped member; (b) placing said L shaped member ontothe top of an external portion of a first ear wherein said concaveindentation rests on top of the most medial portion of the ear and saidsecond portion rests immediately anterior; (c) selecting a desired hairlength using a landmark location on said second portion as a point ofreference; (d) trimming hair length to said landmark location; (e)repeating steps (b)-(d) on the second ear.